Tuesday, July 24, 2007

More than 30 billion kilowatt-hours of energy is wasted because many of us simply forget to shut down our computers when we’re not using them. If we could just improve the efficiency of how we use our PCs, the savings in energy costs would be over $3 billion dollars! The CO2 emissions from just 15 computers are equivalent in energy terms to the gas consumption used by one car.

This has the benefit of saving you money while also saving the environment, so get over there and download it!

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

I while ago I wrote about green roofs in 'Time to mow the roof', well, totally by chance I stumbled upon this UK company that will supply a sedum planted roof for your garden buildings. They build and supply a whole range of garden buildings, sheds and wooden garages, and will make them with this sedum roof to order, they can also retro fit an existing building if it is suitable.

Sedum is a small succulent plant that can grow in many inhospitable or inaccesable places such as rock faces, ledges or walls and seems to be ideal for this type of application.

Such a roof has many environmental benefits including putting back some of which was removed by installing the building in the first place, removing CO2 from the atmosphere, helping to support local wildlife, as well as providing additional insulation for the building itself.

It's always good to find a company, that goes above and beyond what a similar company may offer, and Taylors Garden Buildings (www.taylorsgardenbuildings.co.uk) is one that certainly appears to do so.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

It had never really occurred to me that the words 'environmentally friendly' could be applied to so many aspects of artificial lighting until I was asked to take a look at the products supplied by a company called Starry Night Lights (http://www.starrynightlights.com/). They specialise in products that reduce light pollution, and are also environmentally friendly.

Now if you are a budding astronomer, then you'll be very familiar with the effects of light pollution on the night sky ... If you're not then, basically it blocks the view of all but the brightest stars, and the nearer you are to a town or city, the worse it gets, until the night sky becomes just a void.

But light pollution is more than occluding our view of the heavens. Bad artificial lighting can cause glare, it can blind passing vehicles and is not only annoying, but down right dangerous, it can interfere with the natural cycles of wildlife, and it has even been proven to be a cancer risk.

Starry Night Lights provide a thoughtfully designed lighting range covering interior and exterior applications which aim to address these issues.

For example they have a range of street lighting that uses LPS (low pressure sodium) bulbs, which less electricity than the high pressure. Using less energy and efficient direction, means that far less electricity is consumed, cutting down the emissions from power stations which pollute the air we breath, as well as conserving our precious earthly resources. It doesn't end there though, the housing has been designed to only direct light where it is required, this stops glare, and eliminates light pollution.

From what I have seen, Starry Night Lights have a product range that can fulfill practically all requirements, from domestic to commercial, inside and out, as well as things like low energy bulbs, and motion detectors - that will only turn lights on only when needed.

So for anyone with an interest in the environment (which should be all of us), and green building techniques, should also become aware of the benefit we can have on our surroundings by just selecting the right type of light fitting for the right application, and to use only what is necessary to accomplish what's needed.

This was a sponsored review, but if you (like I myself have) learned anything from this article, and actually apply it to your next lighting project, then for everyones sake, it was truly worth it!

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

The basic principle of downsizing and sustainable living is this; If you slow down, or downshift your way of life, then you'll automatically be improving the quality of your life, reduce stress, and also benefit the environment.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Well if you know anything about hemp, then you know of its incredible properties, and mutltitude of uses. This is one of the most sustainable crops available, and if laws were relaxed a little could do so much more to help with current environmental issues. Anyway, the biggest UK exhibition is almost upon us:

5th, 6th and 7th of May 2007, at the Telford International Centre.

The UK's biggest and best hemp and accessories exhibition.

Featuring the latest and greatest in new inventions, clothing, bags, food, books, alternative therapies, healing, music, famous names and famous faces, seminars, new seed strains, vaporisers and much, much more.

Exhibitors, inventors, wholesalers and retailers will be coming from all over the world to show the best in hemp and accessories. Everything you could ever need to will be under one roof, including top advice from some of this planets experts.

Tickets are only £5.00 each and can be pre-booked from the website (click on the banner below).